The House of Representatives has consented to a Bill seeking to upgrade Lagos State’s 37 Development Area Councils into full-fledged Local Government Areas (LGAs), increasing the state’s total number of LGAs from 20 to 57.
They were created by then Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2003, but met stiff resistance from the Federal Government under President Olusegun Obasanjo.
As provided in the explanatory memorandum, the Bill seeks to convert the 37 Development Area Councils of Lagos State to operate as full-fledged Local Government Areas captured in the Constitution of Nigeria, 1999.
Sponsors are: Hon. James Abiodun Faleke (APC – Lagos), Hon. Babajimi Benson (APC – Lagos), Hon. Enitan Badru (APC – Lagos) and 19 others.
When presented in the House the Motion was read as concerning, “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to Accommodate the Thirty-Seven (37) Development Area Councils of Lagos State as Full-Fledged Local Government Areas, Increasing the Total Number of Local Government Areas in the Federation to Eight Hundred and Eleven (811), and for Related Matters (HB. 1498).”
If finally approved by the Legislature, it will balloon the total number of local government areas in the state to 57 and the sum of councils nationwide to 811.
Clause 3 of the proposed Bill also seeks to alter the First Schedule – Section 3, Part 1, Item 24 (Lagos State Local Government Areas) “State – Lagos Capital City – Ikeja, Agege, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Alimosho, Amuwo-Odofin, Apapa, Badagary, Epe, Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki, Ifako-Ajaye, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Kosofe, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Mushin, Ojo, Oshodi-lsolo, Shomolu, Surulere.
The lawmakers proposed in Clause 4 the alteration of the First Schedule – Section 3, Part 1, Item 24 (Lagos State Local Government Areas), “State – Lagos Capital City – Ikeja; Agege, Orile-Agege, Ajeromi, Ifelodun, Alimosho, Agbado, Oke-Odo, Ayobo-Ipaja, Egbe-Idimu, Igando-Ikotun, Mosan-Okunola, Amuwo-Odofin, Oriade, Apapa, Apapa-Iganmu, Badagary, Badagary West, Olorunda, Epe, Eredo, Kosi-Ejinrin, Eti-Osa East, Eu-Osa West, Iru Victoria Island, Ikoyi-Obalande, Ibeju, Lekki, Ifako-Ijaiye, Ojokoro, Ikeja, Ojodu, Onigbongbon, Ikorodu, Ikorodu North, Ikorodu West, Imota, Ijede, Igbogbo-Baiyeku, Kosofe, Ikosi-Isheri, Agboyi-Ketu, Lagos Island West, Lagos Island East, Lagos Mainland, Yaba, Mushin, Odi-Olowo, Ojo, Oto Awori, Iba, Shomolu, Bariga, Oshodi, Ejigbo, Isolo, Surulere, Coker Aguda, Itire-Ikate.”
